Transcription
Will do.
Do not fret because of those who prosper in their way, because of those who make wicked schemes. Let go of anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret; it surely leads to evil deeds. For evildoers will be cut off, but those hoping in the Lord will inherit the earth.
For yet a little while, and the wicked will not be. You will look diligently for their place, and it will not be. But the meek will inherit the earth and will delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
The wicked plot against the righteous and grind their teeth against them. The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow to cast down the poor and needy and to slay those on the upright path. Their sword will enter into their own heart, and their bows will be broken.
Better is a little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord supports the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the people of integrity, and their inheritance will be forever.
Really quick, what the scripture is saying to me, that I'm relaying to us as a collective, for family and a community unit, is that we shouldn't worry about the evil and injustice that has been done to Devonte. Because quickly, they will get their just due.
Do not hold hatred in your heart, but trust in the Lord and remain faithful that he is going to give us the just due that Devonte deserves. Now, this doesn't mean that we sit back and wait; there's work that still needs to be done. But there is a right way to do it.
And while we're working to get justice for Devonte, just know that when we put our faith in God, God is going to make sure that it comes to pass. It's hard not to be angry, but just don't let that lead to evil deeds. Keep the focus at hand, which is Devonte.
Devonte El Mitchell. The Lord will ensure righteousness and judgment in our favor. Just know that in only a little while, those wicked people will no longer be, and us as a collective unit will have a bit of peace.
When they killed Devonte, they helped kill themselves. The Lord knows the hearts of the upright, and he will take care of them forever. Justice for Devonte.
Ephesians chapter 1, verse 3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.
Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he made us accepted in the Beloved. In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence.
Having made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he proposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth in him.
Let's say amen for the reading of the scriptures.
This time, we're going to have a prayer by Brother Jeff Madison. He's here; would you come? Let's say amen as he comes. I would ask that you will bow your head with me.
I want to ask you to grab the person's hand next to you, also, as there comes a moment in time when you need to feel the support of somebody. This is one of those times. I want you to pray with me, 'cause we all need God to move.
Father God in heaven, Lord, we come before your throne of grace right now because we need you. This family needs you; this community needs you, God.
Lord, you're witness to the travesties that have taken place in this city, and Lord, we're just tired. We're tired of seeing the same things repeated over and over again and things not seeming to change.
And we know, God, that of ourselves we cannot fix it, but we know a God that sits high and looks low. We know a God that has all power in his hand, a power to bring about change, a power to give us wisdom, to give us direction, the power just to make us stronger.
And we're praying for strength right now, God. Lord, we're praying for strength from on high on today because we know that strength has to come from you.
Lord, it seems like our strength seems to run out; it's running out, God. But if you replenish us, if you help us, if you just be with us, God, Lord, we know that we'll hold on. We know that we'll endure even this, God.
And when it's all said and done, this will give you glory. Our faith will remain strong; our trust shall remain in you because we know that you're the God, the head of our lives.
We know that your hand is upon us even right now, so we thank you, God, that you brought us together for such a time as this to demonstrate your power, your sovereignty to the world all over, that you're still God and that you're still in control and that you have not forgotten about your people.
Bless us today, Lord, and beyond this day. When we feel like giving up, when we feel like quitting and throwing in the towel, remind us to hold on a little while longer.
Remind us that we can't afford to stop now because you put purpose on our lives, and we must fulfill the purpose that you called us to fulfill.
We know the road won't always be easy, but you never said that it would. But you said you wouldn't leave us; you said you would not forsake us. You said, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world."
And we stand on that right now, God. We may stand with a tear in our eye, but yet we are standing 'cause we stand on your word and on your promises.
Bless your people today, God, for you know what each and every one of us needs as we gather here today to say farewell. We pray that you do what your word says once again, and you say that my God shall supply all of our needs according to his riches and according to his glory.
We need you, God, in ways we can't even verbalize, so we wait on you right now for strength, for encouragement, for peace, to remove toxic energy from us, God.
We don't want to change who we are; we want to become more like you, so we pray for more of you and less of everything else.
Bless us as we stand before you, God, and give your name praise, and we give you honor and glory in Jesus' name. Amen.
God bless you.
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The never [Music]
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With your [Music]
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God is just all the time, and all the time God is just. God, and there is nobody God but God.
Do I have a witness this morning? Is there anybody in here that loves the Lord?
Many times in life, we don't always understand every circumstance that happens, but we recognize that all things are in God's hand and under his control.
So we bow in humble submission to the will of God because nobody can change a plan but God.
He says, "I know the thoughts that I have toward you," said the Lord, "thoughts of good and not evil, to give you an expected end."
We all have the opportunity to trust God even when we cannot trace God.
So we look to the hills from whence cometh our help, knowing that our help cometh from the Lord.
On behalf of the Holy Redeemer Institutional Church of God in Christ, our board of directors, all of our officers, elders, ministers, pastors, and all of the members that make up the body of our campus, we greet you in the name of the Lord.
We welcome our Reverend Al Sharpton and the individuals that have traveled with him for this service today.
Holy Redeemer is a church that believes in community. We believe in empowering one another. But when we come into the house of the Lord, we come to worship the Lord.
We come to lift up our hands in the sanctuary; we come to say, "Lord, we thank you."
We may not understand it all, but we lift up our hands and we just say, "I may have to cry sometimes."
Well, there's an old song I used to sing that says, "Trouble in my way, I go out."
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Does anybody know that song?
Say, "I lay awake at night, but that's all right because Jesus said what he fixed it."
And if God fixes it, all right.
Y'all stop.
See, this is a celebration of life, creating life.
We come to celebrate the life and legacy of a man that's my right there.
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That we shall remember the life of our dearly departed.
And at this time, we're going to ask my cousin, Brother Darl, to come to my.
And after we have another, we're going to ask to keep and continue to honor this life in a way that glorifies God.
Let's say amen to this family as they [Applause] come.
Brother Al [Applause]
I want to thank each and everybody for coming out.
[Applause]
All of them did; all of them did.
But he was the oldest, and he was the big grizzly bear everybody was scared of.
And, uh, yeah, he had never let nothing happen to me, and he was just always funny.
You know, love to cook, love to draw.
You know, we had a lot of conversations, you know what I'm saying, together with just me and him that nobody else heard.
And I just want to say I miss him, and I appreciate all y'all support coming out and helping us.
So rest in peace, Devonte, and justice for Devonte.
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E all for it.
I, it, it.
Why don't you just greet the person beside you and tell them there's no greater hands to be in but the hands of the Lord?
Come on, give God praise, everybody.
Thank you, Jesus.
Thank you, choir.
At this time, we're going to continue with our remarks.
The sister of Brother Mitchell will come, and then the mother, Sister Brenda, and the wife, Deia, will come.
After which, we'll have the reading of the obituary by Miss Kimberly Hayes.
Would you come in that order?
And as we receive this family, would you give them a warm applause and thank God for them as they [Applause] come?
Praise God.
Praise the Lord.
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Hello.
I want to thank y'all for coming out for him today.
Um, I really don't know what to say.
I never thought I would have to say it.
He was my best friend.
He protected me; he fought for me; he fought with me and for me.
Um, my heart is so heavy.
I just want to remember; I want to remember the best parts of him.
I want to make sure everybody remembers the best parts of him.
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Love you too.
I don't want to say much.
Anybody that knew my brother and knew me, y'all already know what type of relationship we had.
Y'all knew we were close; y'all knew that we would do anything for each other.
So I'm just saying I'mma miss my brother.
I'mma miss him, everything about him.
Him calling me, "Hey Isa girl, hey my beautiful sister."
I'mma miss all of that.
I'mma miss being at the family events, him coming and grabbing my hands about, "Come dance with me, let me show you how to dance, let me show you how to step a little bit."
You know, I'mma miss everything about my brother.
I just want to thank all y'all for y'all support.
Thank y'all for coming out.
Continue to support us, be with my family, help us get through this.
You know, let's lean on each other.
I just love all [Applause] y'all.
I really don't know what to say either.
I have talked so much, cried so much.
All I want to say is, um, I just thank each and every one of y'all for all y'all love, support, prayer.
Y'all know we want justice; we want justice for Devonte.
Justice for Devon; that's what we want.
And we going to fight; we going to fight, and we going to fight.
We're not going to give up.
We want the community to continue to stay behind us, and we got to do this.
We got to make it happen; it cannot be swept under the rug.
I would not let it be swept under the rug.
We going to do this, and we need everybody all in one.
We need to be united to do this. Amen.
I'd like to thank all y'all, everybody, just everybody, just everybody.
Just thank you.
Thank you; that's it.
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Devonte was my baby cousin, and we had a good relationship.
He would call me, "Could you cook me some food? Can you cook me a lasagna? Can you make me a banana pudding?"
And I'd always be like, "You got $20?"
And he'd be like, "No, and I ain't going to share it either."
I'd be like, "You don't got to."
And he was like, "Don't tell Naisha 'cause she going to ask me for something."
I'mma miss that.
I'mma miss you, Devonte, and we going to fight.
And y'all already know justice for Devonte.
Um, Dereck, would you like to say something?
Okay, let's praise God again for this family.
Praise the Lord.
I believe this is the mother-in-law, and she will read to us the obituary at this time.
Good morning, church.
Morning.
Good morning.
Devonte El Mitchell, teddy bear to his mother, was born on May 11th, 1981, to Brenda L. Giles and Derek Butler in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Devonte departed this life on June 30th, 2024.
He was preceded in death by both sets of grandparents, Cornelius and Mary Mitchell, George and Helen Giles, and his father, Raymond Giles.
Devonte received his formal education in the Milwaukee Public Schools system, having graduated from Washington High School.
Devonte accepted Christ as his savior at an early age as a member of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church.
He married Deia Renee Harmon in Wan, Illinois, on January 8th, 2016, and was blessed with the birth of their daughter, Morgan Mitchell.
Devonte loved to cook and was a kitchen connoisseur.
One of his favorite things to cook was fried chicken, and he was known for his creativity in the kitchen.
The man could turn a can of ravioli into a gourmet meal.
Devonte loved anything artistic, which showed his love for drawing, singing gospel music, dancing, and the writing of original rap lyrics.
He also had an insatiable love of knowledge, which he fed through his love of documentaries.
Devonte was an avid family man who filled his time visiting his kids and family, and he lit up every face with joy when he entered a room.
He was known as the person to go to for help because his big heart would seldom allow him to say no.
His voice, guidance, and love will be sorely missed by all who came in contact with him.
Devonte leaves to mourn his passing his parents, Brenda El Giles, Derek Butler, his wife, Deia Renee Harmon, daughter, Morgan J. Mitchell, son, Logan Jackson, sister, Naisha El Mitchell Mena, brother, Daryl D. Giles, Candice, brother, Rendel G. Giles, Alexis, and a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Thank you.
Beautiful.
Praise God.
Thank you.
Surely God has given this family enormous strength today, and we thank God for giving them what they need as we celebrate the life of our beloved brother Mitchell.
Let's praise God again for all those who have participated today.
Before our sermonic selection, I want to just acknowledge resolutions from the Holy Redeemer Institutional Church of God in Christ.
And be it resolved that the Holy Redeemer Church of God in Christ bows in humble submission to the sovereign authority of God and offers condolences to this family and to our entire community.
Be it resolved that this day shall a copy of this resolution be placed in the church's archives.
Done this day, the 11th day of July in the year of the Lord 2024, in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Dr. Valerie Daniels Carter, senior executive pastor.
Elder Jeremy Henry, assistant pastor.
Bishop Cedric Daniels, establishmentarian.
I want to also acknowledge resolutions from Congresswoman Gwen Moore.
Praise God for resolutions from State Representative 12 Assembly District, Leesa Meyers, and also resolution and proclamation from the executive proclamation from the Milwaukee County Executive, Brother Crawley.
So many have sent love and condolences from across the nation, and I think it is proper and befitting that we stand and just thank God for the life of Brother Mitchell.
Let's stand all over the sanctuary and thank God for the life and the gift of this servant of God.
Praise be to God.
For over 30 years, the Holy Redeemer Community has served this Milwaukee, and the wife of Brother Mitchell was a member and a part of our schools.
And so, on behalf of our community and church, we want to continue to show our love and wrap our arms around you.
Before the Honorable Reverend Al Sharpton will come to us, and he is here today to show his love and support to this family, let's praise God for Reverend Al Sharpton.
Come on, let's praise God.
He's been on the battlefield serving our community.
Let the Lord bless you, and we look forward to hearing what you will share with us today.
After the sermonic selection, we will be in the capable hands of Reverend Al Sharpton, and he will move our service forward, and we will continue to lift up and glorify the name of the Lord as we celebrate a life so well lived. Amen.
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What you do for me [Music]
Things turn out to [Music]
The as long as your [Music]
Inol I know [Music]
Things will work [Music]
Out work out.
Do you have a witness this morning?
Hallelujah.
Come on, let's sing it together.
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Whatever [Applause]
What whatever you do for me, come on, lift your hands today.
Tell them, tell the Lord, however things turn out to be.
Tell them, that's it to be.
Yeah, lift your hands, look